High Country Writers Nurture Creativity

Written on High Country Winds

By Peter W. Morris

North Carolina’s High Country, radiating outward from Boone, is home to a unique group of literary types whose fiction, non-fiction, poetry and images routinely see national publication.

The High Country Writers (HCW), which was established in 1995 to lend support to aspiring writers throughout the state’s northwestern region has, since its inception, grown from a group of six to a fluctuating membership of more than 70. While it was originally a chapter of Romance Writers of America (RWA), today it runs the gamut of literary expression from novels to memoir, classical-era historical fiction to the Civil War, women of Appalachia to local and Southern history, and from diverse poetry collections to children’s books.

“In the summer of 1995, author Maggie Bishop ran a classified in the Watauga Democrat announcing the formation of a writer’s group in Boone,” explained Judy Geary, a long time stalwart of the group from its beginnings. “The ad ran multiple times, and by the time I discovered it, about a dozen writers were meeting in the conference room of the Boone Police Dept.” She added, “Maggie and Jean Shoemaker ran the early meetings, and other members included Schuyler Kaufman, Jane Wilson, Dottie Isabel, Lila Hopkins, and Bill Kaiser.”

According to Geary, “The group was a local chapter of RWA, which proved to be the only network which would accept unpublished newbies and provide materials on the writers’ craft,” she continued. “Our early programs were essentially book reports on those materials.”

In 2001, High Country residents Barb and Bob Ingalls started a publishing company, Ingalls Publishing Group (IPG). Their purpose was to give publishing opportunities to members of HCW and others who had written books but who had been unable to get into the New York publishing houses. In its 15 years of operation, IPG published close to 100 books, including regional and national award winners. And who are the High Country Writers? They come from all walks of life, from a trauma surgeon to retired military personnel, college professors and schoolteachers, journalists and coaches.

The programs and weekly meetings of the HCW have evolved over the past 27 years, now offering selections of literary interest to one and all.

Many nationally prominent writers have presented programs to the HCW over the decades including Sharyn McCrumb, Lee Smith, Gail Haley, Jim Hamilton, Scott Nicholson, Joseph Bathanti, Mark Powell and Chris Roerden, to name but a few. Hilary

Hemmingway, niece of Ernest and a writer for television and her husband Jeff Lindsay, who wrote the books on which the television series Dexter is based. Additionally, member Hugh Howey, while working at the Appalachian State University bookstore, sold his e-book novella, Wool, which became the basis for his celebrated Silo series.

One of the most hallowed programs of the HCW are its workshops, which are presented regularly by members with interest and expertise in many specialized areas within publishing. Such programs have included editing and layout, publishing paths, Amazon, editing and censorship, marketing, photojournalism and photography.

Popular activities of the High Country Writers include its monthly critique sessions, where members’ current works receive spirited reflections as to style, quality and a host of other observations. “Each member will have received an advance copy of the submitted manuscript so they will be prepared with benevolently honest comments,” noted Ree Strawser, an HCW officer and long-time member. HCW members have all received accolades for their published works, including Book of the Year awards, the Nora Percival Red Ink Award, the Juanita Tobin Poetry Award, and the Coe/Kaiser Journalism Award. Additionally, Wordsmith Awards, established only last year, are the newest honors bestowed upon the group’s most capable authors.

Other HCW members have had publications that were included in a collection at the Smithsonian (Julia Taylor Ebel, for Addie Clawson, Appalachian Mail Carrier); in the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC, (Fern Ellis, for Courageous Triumph, The Story of Miriam Gopman and Success); at the Historical Novel Society International Conference, internationally reviewed and recommended for use in schools in NC and other states (Judith Geary, for Getorix: The Eagle and the Bull and the accompanying curriculum); a presentation at the Chicago Poetry Center (Maryrose Carroll, for Beats Me, Love, Poetry and Censorship from Chicago to Appalachia.)

Currently, the High Country Writers has just published (April 2022) the fourth edition of its always well-read High Country Headwaters, which contains 200 pages of short stories, fiction, non-fiction pieces, poetry, photography and illustrations. Among those represented in the anthology are Ree Strawser (Why Do I Love Paris?), Hilary Hemingway (On the Trail of Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth), Bill Runyan (Disabled), Leslie Perry (SCAM Calls), Diane Blanks (Keeping Warm in Old Boone) and Cricket Conway (Hidden Beauty).

This year’s High Country Headwaters was edited by Mar Startari-Stegall, while previous editions were edited by Nora Percival and Anita Laymon.

The HCW meets every Thursday with the exception of the third Thursday of the month. While the meetings routinely have met at the Watauga County Library, they were curtailed during the two years of Covid, meeting online on Zoom, but are now slowly returning to the library…their favorite haunt.

“The goal of HCW remains to work toward and achieve publication for all our members who desire publication,” said Geary. All interested literary devotees are welcomed at the group’s meetings. For more information on the High Country Writers visit their website at www.highcountrywriters.org ♦

The High Country Writers organization offers workshops, displays, and meet-and-greets to support writer development and promote networking. Upcoming events are listed on the group’s website at highcountrywriters.org

Photo courtesy of High Country Writers

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High Country Writers typically host two regular meetings each month (often at the Watauga County Library) to discuss their works and mentor aspiring writers.

Photo Courtesy of High Country Writers

“High Country Writers organization was founded in 1995 to lend support to aspiring writers in the High Country of North Carolina. Since that time it has grown from a group of half a dozen, focusing specifically on romance writing, to an organization of over seventy members, actively pursuing some form of written expression.

Members include writers of fiction and nonfiction -- mystery, romance, poetry, Civil War, Appalachian women, memoir, erotica, Roman historical, young adult fiction and non-fiction, children’s books, local history, real estate, as well as Southern fiction.

Our goal remains to work toward and achieve publication for all our members who desire publication.”

www.highcountrywriters.org

A group of High Country Writers members gather outside the Watauga County Library on King Street in Downtown Boone. Photo courtesy of High Country Writers

A collection of books authored by members of High Country Writers. Photo courtesy of High Country Writers